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I'm Halle: food lover, gardener, blogger and a mama trying to feed her family the best way possible. I love photography, especially shooting images of food! My goal is to make you drool and inspire you to want all things healthy! ❤Learn More →

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Common Questions & Myths About Living A Healthy Lifestyle (Part 1)!

I recently was sent an e-mail from a friend of mine who is wanting to make healthier lifestyle changes but he had a few questions for me first. Sometimes I am taken back by what people believe is “healthy”! So today I am going to share with you “Part 1 (first 5 questions)” of my response to these 10 questions in hopes of helping others out there that really want to take steps forward to a healthier lifestyle and just don’t know how. Tomorrow I will share “Part 2 (the last 5 questions)”!

1. Why is it so expensive to eat real food?

Eating real food may seem expensive at first yes, but when you actually sit down and do the math, you will see that real food in many cases can actually save you money. Lets take a box of morning cereal for example. A box of cereal can run you close to $5 a box. Depending on your appetite, it is pretty safe to say that you can get 10 breakfast meals from one box. If you switch your box of cereal to rolled oats, a bag of oats cost roughly $3.00 and you can get nearly 20 breakfast meals from one bag of oats. Not only are you saving money eating a wholesome breakfast, you are nourishing your body at the same time. When prepared properly, oats are very healthy and will keep you fuller for longer. Here is a recipe to help you cook your oats the right way. Save yourself some time and make a double batch and then just reheat it for a quick and easy breakfast. Here are some other alarming processed foods that seem to be cheaper, but when you do the math, they clearly are higher.

Soda per gallon is $8.99 vs Organic milk per gallon is $5.99 (or better yet, my raw milk straight from the farm is $3.00 per gallon)!

Candy Bars are $8.99 per pound.

Gourmet Coffee purchased by the cup at your favorite coffee shop runs you $20.00 per pound

A bag of chips is $8.45 per pound.

These are just a few examples. The next time you are at the store, pull out your calculator and do some math on your favorite processed foods. You will be quite surprised to learn that the processed foods can be much higher then real food!

2. I hate veggies, therefore I can’t eat healthy right?

So you don’t like veggies? That is okay. There are many factors that go into a healthier lifestyle and eating veggies is not the only factor. Start by changing some other habits first. If you like fresh fruits then start there. Replace a bag of chips with a healthy piece of fruit and some raw nuts or cheese. Also many people believe that you have to eat your vegetables dry, or with nothing on them. This is not the case. Try preparing your vegetables next time with some grass fed butter and some sea salt. Almost all of my vegetables are served with a generous portion of good quality healthy fats. Also try preparing them differently. I have never been a fan of steamed cauliflower or brussel sprouts! But when you roast them, they bring on a totally different flavor and mellow out quite a bit. I can not get enough of my roasted cauliflower poppers and my sprouts, pancetta and squash recipes. Give them a try, you might rethink your view on vegetables 😉

3. Does eating organic mean eating tofu? I hate tofu!

No eating organic does not mean eating tofu. In fact, I strongly encourage you not to eat soy products of any kind! Eating organic food is best when ever possible. Organic food is grown or raised without the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fungicide, or fertilizers. You don’t have to go all organic to be healthy. Start out small! When I transitioned to a healthier lifestyle, the whole process was done gradually over a 2 year period and I still am working my way there! If you take little steps, it won’t seem so overwhelming and you are much more likely to stick with it. The most important foods to eat organically are the “dirty thirteen”. These fruits and vegetables show the highest amounts of pesticide residue. Start with switching these foods first and then gradually add other items.

Apples

Imported Grapes

Nectarines

Peaches

Pears

Cherries

Red Raspberries

Strawberries

Spinach

Bell Peppers

Celery

Potatoes

Hot Peppers

4. Isn’t organic carrots like $6.00 a bag…What is wrong with a $2.00 bag of carrots?

I kind of got a chuckle out of this question. Many people think that organic is always more and oftentimes that is not the case. This week I got my organic carrots for a little over $2.00 for a 2 pound bag of carrots. $1.00 a pound…now that isn’t to high is it? It is also important to mention that you can save a lot of money by shopping in season. In the wintertime, organic strawberries are $6.99 a pound…ouch! So guess what, we don’t buy strawberries in the wintertime. We focus on buying apples and pears that time of year because they are much more reasonable. Also, fruit and vegetables taste so much better when they are in season. Try to also seek out local farmers markets for great prices. You can also try growing your own organic food and save a lot of money that way! You can read my article Organic On A Budget! 10 Tips To Help You Buy Organic Food For Less for helpful advise when purchasing organic food.

5. What is wrong with just skipping breakfast, having a light lunch and a huge dinner?

Good question. As Paul Chek, Author of How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy, would say…You are When You Eat! What does this mean? Let me explain! It is so important to eat your biggest meal in the morning followed by smaller meals as the day goes on. Eating a full breakfast wakes your metabolism up and gives you the fuel to function throughout the day. Starting out with a little breakfast and then a small lunch and then a huge dinner will eventually show in your body shape. Take a look at the diagram below.

You can clearly see in this diagram that your body shape can change by how and when you choose to eat. Eat your biggest meal in the morning and eat small snacks throughout the day to create your ideal body image. This important step can dramatically change your health.

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DISCLAIMER: The content on the blog Whole Lifestyle Nutrition is for educational and informational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice. I am not a medical professional and the information contained on this blog should not be used to diagnose, treat or prevent any disease or health illness. Please consult with a qualified health care professional before acting on any information presented here.

Join the Conversation

Hi Halle,
I have subscribed to your blog and I’m loving your tips and recipes! Ever since I tried your Pancetta and Brussel Sprouts, I’ve been eating them with and without the pancetta on a weekly basis! I made them for Easter and everyone loved them!

I strive to eat healthy with the use of a food journal and love my Fooducate Ap on my phone to make better choices at the grocery store, but I do get side tracked at times by being a food blogger. I’m looking forward to trying more of your recipes and I want to look into getting some grass fed butter. That sounds great!

I don’t usually have a lot of time to comment on blogs, but I wanted you to know how much I’m enjoying your posts!

@janedoiron Your so sweet I was over at your site this morning for Melt in Your Mouth Monday and LOVE your site! Thanks so much for letting me know! I will have to check out that Fooducate App Thanks for stopping by.

What a great post! I get asked all the time how I can possibly afford to eat 100% organic, grass-fed pastured food. I say because of all the convenience, prepackaged foods that I no longer have to buy! Our grocery bill was exactly 37% lower last year, because we’re buying ingredients, instead of ready-made food.
My Rob isn’t the biggest fan of vegetables either, but I haven’t found anything he won’t eat with some melted cheese on top

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Whole Lifestyle Nutrition is a place where Halle Cottis can share healthy recipes, help others grow their own organic food and coach people to healthy success. Are you looking to take your health and nutrition to the next level? We can help you do that! Read More...to find out how!